Macfarlane, Gary J., Beasley, Marcus, Jones, Elizabeth A., Prescott, Gordon J., Docking, Rachael, Keeley, Philip, McBeth, John and Jones, Gareth T. (2011) The prevalence and management of low back pain across adulthood: results from a population-based cross-sectional study (the MUSICIAN study). Pain, 153 (1). pp. 27-32. ISSN 0304-3959 (doi:10.1016/j.pain.2011.08.005)

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Abstract

The aim of the current study was to determine: the prevalence of low back pain (LBP) and associated disability; the frequency of consultation to general practice; whether there were differences in management by age. We conducted a cross-sectional population study in Aberdeen city and Cheshire County, UK. Participants were 15,272 persons aged 25 years and older. The 1-month period prevalence of LBP was 28.5%. It peaked at age 41-50 years, but at ages over 80 years was reported by 1 in 4 persons. Older persons were more likely to consult, and the prevalence of severe LBP continued to increase with age. Management by general practitioners differed by age of the patient. Older persons (> 70 vs ≤ 40 years) were more likely to only have been prescribed painkillers (odds ratio [OR] 1.74, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.28-2.35) or only pain killers with other medications (OR 1.45, 95% CI 1.07-1.98). They were less likely to be prescribed physiotherapy or exercise (OR 0.63, 95% CI 0.46-0.85) or to be referred to a specialist (OR 0.77, 95% CI 0.57-1.04). Older persons were more likely to have previously received exercise therapy for pain, were less likely to be enthusiastic about receiving it now (P<0.0001), and were less likely to think it would result in improved symptoms (P<0.0001). It is important that older persons, who have the highest prevalence of LBP with disability and are most likely to consult, are receiving optimal pharmacological and nonpharmacological management.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	[1] Authors listed have published on behalf of the MUSICIAN study team. [2] The following are members of the MUSICIAN study team: Gary Macfarlane (Principal Investigator), John McBeth (Investigator), Deborah Symmons (Investigator), Karina Lovell (investigator), Philip Keeley (Investigator), Phil Hannaford (Investigator), Chrysa Gkazinou (Trial manager), Marcus Beasley (Research Assistant), Elizabeth Jones (PhD student), Gordon Prescott (Statistician), and Steve Woby (Investigator).
Uncontrolled Keywords:	epidemiology, pain, old age, consultation, management, preference
Subjects:	R Medicine > R Medicine (General) R Medicine > RZ Other systems of medicine
Pre-2014 Departments:	School of Health & Social Care
Related URLs:	Publisher
Last Modified:	14 Oct 2016 09:24
URI:	http://gala.gre.ac.uk/id/eprint/9803

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